Feed-water regulator



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,108] 7 J. M. BARRETT 7 FEED WATER REGULATOR Filed 06* 22. 1926 2: Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 22, 1927'. 1,650,108

J. M. BARRETT REED WATER REGULATOR Filed Oct. 22, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

-- ll'lllhis invention generators of the typeperticulerlyedepted and .is positioned [in ,an' extension o Patented Nov. 22, 1927 r olauosrmsnmo p ln pneeeenlmea 0mm; 1

to L1I1GtlOn"Wlth the bo lersrcerrym glh igh and is concerned wi th eer-ta ln pressure, provements over the existing types ,of gener-r;

ator, which have been found inadequate end incapable, of tmeeting qdemends resulting fromz'high pressure practice. v e e .The; general prinoiple o't' .e fiuidQ reSmIre generator is disclosed i z i J ley 1,193,125 issuedAugust'Brd; 1 916. Thls device comprises two oha mbers; one, of chambers comprises .part of it .oonduat whloh spans the normal water "level: of a boiler.

The second chamber encompasses theffirs't'i e I 1 plane of the wvaterflewtel soflthat when the ater Flowers, steam lenters ft'he first 1 and power plantstructure that-have been so ber "and heats the contents .o'f the second chamber. Thejsecond .oh a'niber contzfins la' volafiile fluid Whichis heated by'the 'steem the first ohamher'nnd the rate. of-Yheefimg sproportional to the ratioo'f xveter to steam in the first Chamber, for the temperature and heat Content-of the ater and steam; The fluid in the second chamber upon being heetejdtends to volatilize andexpand so that a ressure is'cri'eated which may be transmit-tee? Water to a high pressure boiler;

Copley conceived his invention more. than 12 years ago and "the problem with which he was then confronted Was vastly different from that which nowicon'fron't'sme, 'As one who is skilled in the. art can appreciate changes have "taken place in boiler design vast that installations which were 'eon'sid ered'then modern are now regarded asrela-f t'ivel'y inefiioien't or nearly obsolete. The

most acute pointin a-y'c'hzrnge'of "boiler de sign has been in the Increase in pressure.-

" Where .in Copleys day a ,pressure' of hundred to tWo hundredend fi fity pounds was consideredv .very high, 'we find itoday boiler pressures of six to seven hundred" pounds to be common; pressure -ofr--ewe1ve hundred pounds actually in use, and pressures of fifteen hundred 'to two-*t-hoilsand pounds to beexpeoted in t h r I need not go into the causes :for the uee of high pressure, but *I am concerned wit'hthe innthenpatentfito (3031 due regard being had to pressure emu-- alble means. For thepurpose of illustration I show the pressure aotueble means as being a diaphragm ae otuat'e'd feed Water valve, and i the particular us'eethe regulating of feed mam-inf rm 7 may siuip nv awrtif lv on \the a e- 1 ofitj mssu generators andthe regulation or feed water. i The increase fin'esteam pressure p has -.resi1ltedfin' smaller boiler *see'tions and; thinlier'boilei dmm .w'zills which elong .lwith the increase] in rating has greatly reduced?" .L the Wat-8 1 inlthe ,al l d 1n the drumen'd thisreduefiionhasjteken pleee while-the sle of empomtionihes eno mousresult is then that the 1y increased; The

feed :water 'velfooitgyjmid the. steam velocity ii are very' high ;';that. the. te'ildenoy ior, change in weoterfflevelis. very. greet-and the dengej resulting from .such ja .tdhange is ot ni more "imminent but more real;

the objects or my in- It is'theref "lie among ventio'n "to so .cone'tnuot a pressure generator unit that the generator will'be ,1; 1u i'ckly' :;re}

sponsive to chengesfo'iwater levelin e boiler carrying steamat '7 pressure "and tendper'atureglthet the- %eneiia.tor may have a feaaci't y large jenou'g to 'provide a substantialvolume bfffluidunder pressure to; operate the diaphragm valve'where' thevelve moves ine stream of high pressure high velocity, and may the generator j unit may accurately "funotion"without regard to the formmtaon of hot "conilensate'jand that other rectors" w'hi'h disturb fhe temperature diflijelfeittialfof the heart ut.

"in the drawings figs. "1, 2,1 3 and Ame d ia graimmatiic iliustretions of positions and eondrtions, descript ve o f the useof the generator; 5 'isqtn elevation an installation itnoluding the "pressure generator and 8 is alayout fif'an apparatus constituting a feed water device for a boiler *Before .descrih'mgthe apparatus embod-ying my invention ;[-wish tofpo-int to the diagrams, Figs}. 1, 2,- *3 and 4 to show the recti'on talkes lace i-n -11 ressure genera tor of'the ener type en'rp ojed in m y-in vent-1011.7 f ring m Fig. 1,; I shovv the 3 generator chamber G containing a working nfiial-sect'iontaken along 'oon-neoted :to the boilerrlruni) containing hot stems above the water lvgilindicaited The lower portion of the conduit G within} the chamber G reontains "water The speed of the generator is ;a tunetion "of "*the "temperature end heat between the stem and the Water whichacts upon the working fluid. Thus, if the difference in temperature is great, theaction will be rapid, and if thedifference-1n tem,,.

perature is slight, the action of the generator will be sluggish. The water WV isc'ooledby conduction through the working fluid and through radiating fins (seeFi'g. 6), but the temperature of the water l/V is increased first by the conduction offbeat from the steam'S alongthe wallsfof the Generate; second, by the direct transfer of heat from the steam. S across the wa ter surface vthirdly g of the steain'and' water due to'more orless The angular disposition of the generator relative to the. water level is'seen to change the size of the thecondensation ofsteani in the conduit U flowing down and becoming part of the water; and fourthly, the surging or mixing rapid changes in water level.

area of the water level; indicated A Thus in Fig. 2, the area A is much greater than the area. shown n Fig. -1' and the temperature of the Water in the generator ispropon tionally liigliei i"by'i'eason of the transfer of heat at the surface, the: transfer 'due to the surge effect or mixture of the water and the steam, and the temperature ofthe water 7 is' increased because a greaterarea of the conduit G is heated which is' common to both water and steam. It will be? seen, therefore,

that a generator angularly disposed near the horizontal will have a'sluggish and ineffective action. I p

In the solution of my problem therefore,

it is found advisable except for the accumu; lation of condensate, to dispose a generator more nearly the vertical as shown in Fig. 1. With the generators disposed. more nearly the vertical and for a givenfsize of the con duit C'for an ample quantity of working fluid, a'comparatively smaller steam heating surface is exposed for a given change in waterlevel. I might compensate for this to I find that a plurality of conduits and chambers as shown in Fig. 4 makepossible a better balance between interior heat input and exterior radiation.

In Fig. 5 Idesignate the conduit 1 which is adapted to beconnected' through the valves 2 and 3 and suitable fittings into a boiler drum. The conduit 1 is formed to include a depending looped portion which permits expansion and contraction and'provides a cold water leg or reservoir. The

' generator may be connected into the conduit With suitable high pressure joints 4: and 5. The generator unit (see Fig. 6) comprises a conduit '10 disposed betweenthe joints 4' and '5 to communicate"directly with the upper anch'lower portions of the conduit 1.

Branching from. the/conduit 10 at the points 11 and 12 respectively are the branch conduits 1552111611116. On'eachof the conduits l5 and 16 and enclosing the upper portions. thereof are mounted the generator casings generate an initial pressure for both'genera tors; j l sho'w each'of the casings as having I expansible heads on both the upper-"and lower ends. These heads may be brazedontO-the' conduits loand 16-respectively, or

may be otherwise joined by suitable means.

Each casing constitutes a cylindrical p01 tion lying concentricfwith the; conduits 15- and 16 and spaced therefrom .to'provide'achamber in which the"expansiblehuidis stored. 0nthe exterior of the cylindrical portion of the casing I mount suitable radiating fins 19 and '20. nature of the radiating fins is a factorwhich must'be balanced against the heat input or rather the rate of heat input into. the gen- The number and the erator. .In each ofthe casing members and preferably adjacent the uppermost point as shown, I provide fillingfplugs '25 and 26. The'tiller'plugs 25 and 26 may bejvertically displaced relative to each other. Both plugs are removed when the 'generator system is filled so that the smaller chamber will then be full but in the larger chamber there will be an air pocket. I find that thisair pocket provides what I am pleased to call a tempering or cushioning effect on the action of the generator and the pressure responsive means. 'By using the two generator units and placing them as I do, I am assured that theoperator using my invention will 'naturally provide this air pocket when he fills the generator. Joining the two casings and near the lower ends I show the conduit 30 which provides con'iniunication from one chamber to another. be curved (see Fig. 7) to allow for expansion and contraction. Tapped into the lower portion ofone of the casings I show a conduit 81 (see also Figs. 6,7 and 8) which is adapted to lead to the pressure responsive. device actuated by the pressure enerated iri s y Referring back to Fig. 6 itwill be seen that a substantial portion of the branch conduits 15 and 1 6 is provided between the The conduit 30 mayv in the chambers land 18 relatively short; The lower inmer seriaee oi'each. of these portions-of the-br nches 1 5 and 16 heti veen the joint il and the points A,

slant downwardly slightly in the dimay rection of the joint ll. Ihave found this slantingadvantageous, hut'l do not fcare "to hespecific'ally limited to this constru'c'tionv The slant may b'e-iorinet l hy' slightly ffiattening or tipping t-his portion-of the branch conduits. A slight slope pennies any-con densate which forms in the portion 0 i the'branch to drain hack into the conduit- '10 rather than into the 1on gitiitlina1ly extend portion of "the branches. I designate the vertically extending portien "of the branch conthaits' abovethe tops-of the gener a tor's as the portions B and B". will be seen that only condensate forming in the portions B and B will 'd-rain into the generator. The amount (ifcondensate will be so small and the heat contained' therein will he negligible compared n; the radiating ability the tops-of the generators and the joint'li may beadvantageouslycovered with insulat in'g "material,- as I have shown, "for a liustrati'on at I.

As mentioned above the condensate fomning between the points A-inn d the joint, 11

will flow hack into the conduit 10 and also the condensate 'ic rnniing between the valve and joint 2 down to the point 40; willncouinul ate in the conduit 1-0. It-Wil-l he seen that the generators themselves are practically 'iree from the harmful e iiecto f the collection 0 f condensate; Conversely, the lower;

portion of the conduit 10, or that portion above the joint 12, contains ava ter which has had substantial opportunity to @001 and will he further seen t lt the water-in the branches l5 and 16 =in'afy he maintained sov eo'l'd that -whenever the 'wate r level rises the Water forced up into' eac h-oif the genera-tors Wil=l chill "the generator an'tl' cause a rapid negative movement-of the pressm-e actua'b'le means.

am able by using any genera-tor flll i tyevel'l .7 Withoutinsulating means arotmd't he upper.-

portion of the conduit 1 the upper-"portions of 'the conduits 15-anc l 1 6-to efie'e't excellent regulation of high pressure boilers.

The amount of condensation forininlgga nd actua lly getting Within the confines of the pressure generators is only a small traction of that condensate continuai ly *fo'rming and collecting at the point-40 in the-conduit TO;

I menuainer condensate at tihe poini: 4o

causes-a cmI-tinnous downward flow oat water mm gh the conduit IOaIongtheJoWer-Ieg oi the conduit 1' and been into theboiler at a point 3; 'The temperature or this water varies fromzgpoint to" point "along its-path and depends upon the rate "of-condensation.

Water might be,kit will 'be seen, that lthe'ra'te eonduit. Thismate is only abate. fraction ofthe Intent collection of condensa'tein the main conduit so that the ra tel'of flow :of water due to condensation in the conduits 15 and 16 is practically nil. a

, My sensitive apparatus because of the'greattemperature idizifemnti-a l between the Water and steam in contact with the generating cham is particularly -well adapted for use in connection with boilers wherein the :steam i very hot and the "feed v her. My invention water velocity very high.

"I claim: Y m;

.1; In :a pressure :genena'tor unit adapted to downwardly is'tml; proportional to the rate ofm'c outmulati-on o condensate in the. branch invention therefore provides a very be motive in response to a d-iflerence in temper-attire between Water zand'steam, the com- I binationi' ht means for conducting to said pressure generator water and steam, and

means ior hy-passingthe wvater'of condensetion the steam in said fiI'St named means away from the pressure generatorso that the temperature differential between the water and steam in. contact-with the pressure, gener-' ator is not decreased bythe heat of the condensa'te.

)2. The combination-0f it boiler dru-m containing wa ter and steam, re v conduit connected tor th'e beil'e'r drum and disposed exteriorly of said drum and spanning the water level thereof, pressure generatm"means responsive to the temperature differential between water and steaanin contact therewith, branch conduit associated'w ith the main conduit and joined. thereto at points :above' and below the Water leve'l zmd adapted to caitrv said rp'ressure geil'lerator memnswhereby the water of condensation in the first conduit will accum'ifla-te and circulnte without the branch conetuiit andwawa y from saidpressure generator means. a 7 3. The combination of @a boi1er dr um containing water and steam, ac'ond-uit connected with said conlhIi-tat the water 1eve1, a, huanoh conduit associated with themaiin conduit and adapted to carry said thermo-irespons'ive.

ln'ea'ns whereby :the water 'of' co'ndensation formed in the ifir'st conduit will circulate t o' the drum "and spanning the water level fihere'oE, thermo-responsrve means associated TOO lit)

W-ithout'ithe branch conduit and out of -con- I tact with said thenmo responsive means.

4. LIn-ia iim'd pressure :generator system,

the combination of a boiler drum containing the water level insaid drum and connected thereto and forming a closed loop eXteriorly,

to the temperature differential of the'fluids in the conduit and associated with the branch conduit along the upper portionthereof and intercepting the plane of the water level, whereby the condensate formed in the first named conduit circulates in the first conduit independently of the branch conduit and the said generating chamber is not heated by the condensate. r

5. Ina fluid pressure generator system, the combination of a boiler drum containing water and steam, a conduit adapted to span the water level in. said drum and connected thereto and forming a closed loopexteriorly thereof, a branch conduit leading from said first named conduit at a point abovethe water level and lyingparallel to said first named conduit and joined again thereto at a point substantially below the water level, a fluid pressure generating chamber associated with the branch conduit and intercepting the plane of the water level, whereby the condensate formed in the first named con-.

duit circulates therein independently of the branch conduit and the said chamber is not heated by the condensate.

6. The combination with a boiler drum containing water and steam of a conduit disposed exteriorly of said drum communicating with the steam and water spaces thereof, said. conduit containing water flowing toward the waterspace in the boiler by reason of the condensation of steam in the conduit, a branch conduit joined to said first named conduit at a point but slightly above the water level and joined at another point below the water level, pressure generator means responsive to the temperature differential of the fluid in said branch conduit and associated with said branch conduit and positioned along the upper portion thereof, the portion of the branch conduit above the generator containing steam being short and the portion of the branch conduit below the generator comprising an auxiliary cold water leg whereby the heat input into the generator maybe sharply defined by the hot steam and cool water in the said branch conduit to the exclusion of the condensate in the main conduit.

7. The combination with a boiler drum containing water and steam, of a conduit disposed exteriorly of said drum and communicating with the steam and water spaces thereof, said conduit containing water flowbe sharply defined by the temperature differential between the steam and water in the said branch conduit to the exclusion of the condensate in the main conduit and the said part of the upper portion of the branch conduit. V

8. In a pressure generator unit containing an expansible fluid and adapted to be actuated in response to the diflerence in temperature between water and steam in Contact therewith, the combination of means for conducting to said pressure generatorvwater and steam, means for by-passing the water of condensation away from the pressure generator unit and means for dissipatingthe heat of the expansible fluid, so that the water in contact with the pressure generator may be greatly cooler than the steam in contact therewith. V r r 9. The combination of a container partially filled with hot steam, a conduit connected to span the water levelof the container and containing steam and water flowing downwardly in the conduit by reason of the condensation of steam therein, a branch conduit joined to the first conduit at pointsabove" and below the waterlevel, thermal responsive means associated with the branch conduit and responsive to the temperature differcntial of the fluid therein, the portion'of the branch conduit containing steam being short so that the flow offluid in the branch conduit due to condensation is slight whereby a substantial temperature differential of the fluid adjacent the said thermo-responsive means is maintained.

10. In a fluid pressure generator system, the combination of a boiler drum containing water and steam, a conduit communicating with the steam space and the water space of said-drum, means including a bypass for connecting said conduit with said drum, said means containing water and steam in which water flows into the boiler by reason of the condensation of steam above the water level therein, said conduit having a short portion filled with steam and a relatively long portion filled with water so that the flow of water in said conduit due to the condensation of steam therein is very slow compared to the movement of water in said means and by-pass, a chamber associated with said conduit and disposed near the upper portion tive'elevation of one of said thermorespon- 7 thereof and lying; concentrically therewith of the branchconduit. k

13. The combination of a container for" water and steam, tubular conducting means spanning the water levelv and comprising a other;

15. The combination of a: container for water and steam, a conduit connected withand containing a fiuid adapted to be 'expanded by an increasein temperature or heat content of the fluid within the'conduit and heat radiating'means ;,disposed iexteriorly; of said chamber wherebythe temperature of the fluid thereinis ina'irrtainedi-Jowicxcept in response to the contact withsteam inthe branch conduit. a k r I 11; The combinatien wi a ntein nc n taining water and-steann a conduit r com-inunicating lwith the isteam and water.,spaces thereof, said conduitfcontaining iwa'ter flow ing toward the water space in the container by I'GZISOIli of the condensation. of steam r-in.

the conduit, a branch-conduit} joined tosaid first named conduit at a point, butslightly above the water level, thermoresponsive wa e -peed a'ico 'dmt,con e -Wi the container and, spanning the water level I means responsive; tqthe-tethperature differential of the fluid in said'branch conduit and associated with said branch conduit, the portion of the branch conduit above the said thermoresponsive means being short and the portion of the branch conduit below the thermoresponsive means comprising a cold water leg, whereby the heat input intothe thermoresponsive means maybe sharply defined by the hot steam and relativelycool water in said branch conduit to the exclusion of the condensate in the mainconduit.

12. The combination of a container, for i water and steam, a conduit connected wlth thecontainer and spanning the water level thereof, a branch conduit joined-to the first named conduit at a point abo'vethe water level in said conduit, thermoresponsive means associated with said branch conduit, whereby water of condensation formed in'the said first named conduit circulates independently plurality of conduits joined to have a corn mon portion above the water level, thermoresponsive means associated with said tubular conducting-meansat the water level, one of the said plurality of conduits being disassociated from the said thermore'spons'ive means and COIDPIlSlIlg'H by-pass for conden sate. V

14The combination of water and steam, a conduit connected with the container and spanning the water level thereof, two branch conduits joined to the first named conduit at pointab'ove the Water level in said conduit, thermoresponsive means associated with each of said branch conduits at substant-ially'the' point of normal water level in the container, the'effecsive means'being higher than that of the a containerfor v v V p I g connected with thecontamer and spann ng; the water level, thereof, thermoresponslve the container and spanningythe water level thereof, two branch conduits joined. to the first named conduit ,at .a l p il lt above I t e water level in said conduit,.theremoresponslve devices vcompris ng closed chambers surroundlng anunnjeryconduit and havlng an ,expansible fluid-therein,said chambers being connected together and each associated with one 'ofsaid branch conduits at'substan 'ti y h p i of. c rm -jw te e in; h container, theefiective v elevation of one 1 of v said chambers being'higher than that of the other. whereby the higher device "delivers. an

initialpressure;inghothdevices when the steam de c n o szaurnlf pcr nan er y both i d'eyicejsiac'tl together as] the steam con ncst id s endin;b0 h'0fth eg eombinationpf ai container thereof, two branch conduits joined to the first named conduit'at a point above the 7 water level in said conduit so that conden- I saidbranch conduits at substantially the nor- 7 mal water level, and fluid conducting means connecting said thermoresponsive means togetl'ier whereby they act conjointly. I

17. The combination' of a, container for water and steam, a conduit connected with the c'ontainer' and spanning the water level thereof, ;a plurality of branch conduits joined to the first named conduit above the water level in said'c'onduit, thermoresponsive means associated with each ot-said branch conduits whereby water of condensation formed" in said first named conduit, circu- Ijlates independentlyvof'the branch conduits, said thermoresponsive means being connected togethers0 'thatuniform' pressure may be;maintainedtherein,one of said thermo- I responsive, means beingdisposed with its upper-portion at a higher elevation than any other and having an air pocketin the uppermost portionthereof, whereby a cushioningor temperingefi'eot for all the thermo-' responsive means pocket in :one.

18'. The'icombination of ."a container for is provided by the air water and steam, a'plu'rality ofconduits' means each associatedwith one of said conduitsin Rthe- -plane of the water'llevel, said thermoresp'onsive means being connectedto gethe'rso" that uniform pressure may be maintained therein, oneo f. said thermorev V 25 sponslve means being 'd1sp'osed1w1th1ts up per portion at a; higher elevation than the other and having an air pocket 11113116 vupper tempering efi'ect isobtained by theairthere- 1n,

1 portion thereof, whereby a cushioning or V "19. The combination of a container for Water and steam, a plurality of conduits spanning the Water level thereof and inclined more nearly the vertical than horizontal at the Water level, thermoresponsive devices each comprising a closed chamber containing expansible fluid and each surrounding one of said conduits at the Water level, and fluid conducting means affording communication between saidchambers for maintaining uniform; pressure therein.

"'20. The combination of a container for Water and steam, a ,thermoresponsive unit including a plurality of parallel conduits all lying in a plane inclined nearer the vertical than the horizontal, each conduit being enclosed by a closed-chamber at the level of Water in the container, the several chambers being interconnected and having fluid communicationwith each other, a-nd means connecting said unit with the steam and ater spaces of thefcontainer from points above and below said unit respectively.

21'. A container for Water andste'am, a plurality of conduits spanning the Water level and communicating with the steam and Water spaces of said container, thermore sponsive means associated With each conduit at the Water level and extending to difl'er'ent elevations above the Water level, said thermoresponsive means being'inclined more nearly the vertical than the horizontal andme'ans connecting the thermoresponsive' means to-- gether whereby they act conj'ointly, In testimony whereof, I'hereunto affix my signature:

; iosnrnn'nnnnnrrx 

